The invention relates to a microarray structure that may include a substrate material layer, a continuous three-dimensional (3D) surface layer on the substrate material layer that is capable of functionalisation for use as an array, and an inert material. The structure may include accurately defined and functionalisable isolated areas which are millimeter to nanometer in size. The functionalisable areas may be part of the continuous 3D surface layer and may be isolated by the inert material but interconnected within the structure by the continuous 3D surface layer.

An apparatus and method for performing analysis and identification of molecules have been presented. In one embodiment, a portable molecule analyzer includes a sample input/output connection to receive a sample, a nanopore-based sequencing chip to perform analysis on the sample substantially in real-time, and an output interface to output result of the analysis.

A system for fluorescence activated cell sorting includes at least two excitation lasers and an objective that directs light from the at least two excitation lasers to a common point in an interrogation region of a fluidic channel. The fluidic channel directs a flow of a plurality of fluorescently labeled particles through the interrogation region. At least one modulator temporally multiplexes light from the at least two excitation lasers such that pulses of light from different lasers intersect the common point at different times. The system further includes at least one detector and at least one optical element that directs light emitted from the particles and transmitted through the objective to the at least one detector. The system may further include optics for generating and detecting side and forward scattered light. Methods for operating example systems to collect fluorescent, side scattered and forward scattered light are also described herein.

An apparatus and method for performing analysis and identification of molecules have been presented. In one embodiment, a portable molecule analyzer includes a sample input/output connection to receive a sample, a nanopore-based sequencing chip to perform analysis on the sample substantially in real-time, and an output interface to output result of the analysis.

An array including a solid support having a plurality of contours along its exterior surface. A first subset of contours is positioned along the exterior surface of the solid support to form a first pattern of features and a second subset of contours is positioned along the exterior surface to form a second pattern of features. The contours of the first subset are juxtaposed with the second subset along the exterior surface, whereby the first and second patterns form an interleaved pattern. The features of the first pattern occur at a first elevation z.sub.1 and the features of the second pattern occur at a second elevation z.sub.2. The features of the first pattern are configured to attach analytes at a different elevation relative to analytes attached to the features of the second pattern.

Multi-stage sample-recovery systems, including automated 2-stage and 3-stage sample-recovery systems, are provided. Such systems enable the rapid screening and recovery of samples, including viable cell-based samples, from high-throughput screening systems, including systems utilizing large-scale arrays of microcapillaries. In specific screening systems, each microcapillary comprises a solution containing a variant protein, an immobilized target molecule, and a reporter element. Immobilized target molecules may include any molecule of interest, including proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and other biomolecules. The association of a variant protein with a molecular target is assessed by measuring a signal from the reporter element. The contents of microcapillaries identified in the assays as containing variant proteins of interest can be identified and recovered using the multi-stage systems disclosed herein.

A method for making on-flow cell three-dimensional polymer structures includes loading a polymer precursor solution onto a flow cell. The polymer precursor solution includes a monomer, a crosslinker, and a photoinitiator. The flow cell includes at least one channel for receiving the polymer precursor solution. The at least one channel has an upper interior surface and a lower interior surface. The method further includes illuminating the polymer precursor solution through a patterned photomask using a light at a wavelength sufficient to activate the photoinitiator. Activation of the photoinitiator polymerizes at least some of the polymer precursor solution underneath apertures in the patterned photomask and forms three-dimensional polymer structures that extend from the upper interior surface to the lower interior surface of the at least one channel.

Disclosed herein are methods, tools, pillar plates, and tool assemblies for biomolecular analysis using microarrays that reduces the likelihood of air bubbles being trapped by the microarrays. Embodiments of the tools include two clamps that have a tool mount portion and a grasping portion. The tool mount portion is configured to engage a lifting mechanism of a plate handling robot for moving a pillar plate that include microarrays. The grasping portion is configured to freely suspend the pillar plate at an inclination of a non-zero tilt angle relative to a plane normal to the tool mount portion. Embodiments of pillar plates include two protruding edges on opposite sides of the pillar plate and a plurality of pillars with one or more affixed microarrays. Embodiments of the tool assembly include the tool and the pillar plate, wherein the protruding edges are configured to engage with the grasping portions.

Defined sequence RNA synthesis by 3′.fwdarw.5′ direction is now well established and currently in use for synthesis and development of vast variety of therapeutic grade RNA and Si RNA etc. A number of such synthetic RNA requires a modification or labeling of 3′-end of an oligonucleotide. The synthesis of 3′-end modified RNA requiring lipophilic, long chain ligands or chromophores, using 3′.fwdarw.5′ synthesis methodology is challenging, requires corresponding solid support and generally results in low coupling efficiency and lower purity of the final oligonucleotide in general because of large amount of truncated sequences containing desired hydrophobic modification. We have approached this problem by developing reverse RNA monomer phosphoramidites for RNA synthesis in 5′.fwdarw.3′-direction. They lead to very clean oligonucleotide synthesis allowing for introduction of various modifications at the 3′-end.

An array including a solid support having a plurality of contours along its exterior surface. A first subset of contours is positioned along the exterior surface of the solid support to form a first pattern of features and a second subset of contours is positioned along the exterior surface to form a second pattern of features. The contours of the first subset are juxtaposed with the second subset along the exterior surface, whereby the first and second patterns form an interleaved pattern. The features of the first pattern occur at a first elevation z.sub.1 and the features of the second pattern occur at a second elevation z.sub.2. The features of the first pattern are configured to attach analytes at a different elevation relative to analytes attached to the features of the second pattern.